Manual Shifting, A Dying Technology

[Rick]

For many decades I have driven both auto and manual. The old autos that used simple fluidic logic were tolerable. They were repeatable enough that you could learn to fully control them with just throttle position. When I began to encounter electronically controlled autos I lost all tolerance for them. They are following their own plan and you are a mere suggestion. It's the same loathing I have for the throttle-by-wire system in my Yaris. In delicate low-traction driving situations it's a seriously irritating handicap.

Autos have their place, but that's not in my vehicles. It's a pity that the modern mindset is that we must all sink to the level of the least competent among us, even in transmission choices.

One thing an auto-trans simply can not do, while a human controlling a manual-trans can handily do, is anticipate. Sometimes that's key.

All in all, automatic transmissions are a limitation I will likely never voluntarily choose.